The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat Ki Thavoh 
 Vol  1#30 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Sep-22-2005 
English and Hebrew translations of the Bible come mostly from the www.MECHON-MAMRE.org  translation with changes made by me 

The goal of this Weekly Rashi Digest is to use the weekly Torah portion to expose students at all levels to the ten major methods of commentary used by Rashi. It is hoped that continual weekly exposure to these ten major methods will enable students of all levels to acquire a familiarity and facility with the major exegetical methods.

1. RASHI METHOD : OTHER VERSES   
This example applies to Rashis Dt26-03a 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt26-03a.htm 

The other verse  method seeks to confirm the contents of a target verse by cross referencing other verses which either confirm the target text or add details to it. Additionally the other verse  method can shed light on word meaning. 

Verse Dt26-03 states   And thou shalt come unto the priest of the times, and say unto him: 'I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the land which the LORD swore unto our fathers to give us.'   וּבָאתָ, אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו, הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כִּי-בָאתִי אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לָתֶת לָנוּ.  By itself, the phrase of the times may simply be a casual way of speaking with no particular meaning content. However by examining an other verse which uses this phrase, Rashi determines that this phrase has very specific meaning. 

When parallel phrases are aligned , verse Dt17-09 states   
And thou shall come 
•	unto the priests the Levites,                     and 
•	unto the judge                     of the times; 
and thou shalt inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgement.
 וּבָאת
•	ָ, אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם,
•	 וְאֶל-הַשֹּׁפֵט, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם;
 וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְהִגִּידוּ לְךָ, אֵת דְּבַר הַמִּשְׁפָּט.  
The contrast that the first bulleted clause contains nothing while the second parallel clause contains the extra underlined phrase, of the times, that this phrase was deliberately placed with intended emphasis. The Bible however is silent on what emphasis is achieved by this underlined phrase. 

It is reasonable to interpret the emphasis of the phrase of the times, to mean even of current times even if they are not like those of former times. In other words the Bible is emphasizing that judicial judgement and decision must always be sought from the judge of the times even if the current judge is inferior to the judges of previous ages. Rashi then transfers the meaning of of the times in Dt17-09 to Dt26-03 to indicate that confession and thanksgiving must always be administered to the current priest, even if current priests are of inferior quality to previous generations. 

Let us recap the logic used: 
•	The Bible used the phrase of the times. By itself this phrase may simply be conversational and not have any special specific focused meaning. 
•	However the alignment in Dt17-09 shows that the phrase was deliberately placed and indicates an intended emphasis. 
•	While the alignment proves that this phrase indicates emphasis it does not specify what the emphasis is. 
•	It seems reasonable to suppose that the phrase means: go to the current judge for decisions even if the current judges of the times are inferior to judges in previous generations. 
•	Having established the meaning of the phrase of the times in Dt17-09 Rashi feels justified using the other verse technique to apply this newly learned meaning to other verses. 
•	Hence the Rashi comment on Dt26-03 that one must make confession or thanksgiving to the current priest even if that priest is inferior to the priests of former generations. 

Notice how the complete understanding of this example required use of two Rashi methods: other verses, and alignment. We will therefore revisit this example in rule #4.

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Dt28-22h 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt28-22h.htm  

The word meaning  method seeks to present dictionary meaning. Rashi uses 10 vehicles to infer word meaning. A major word meaning submethod is the word-naming method:  Rashi will sometimes comment on how words acquire their meaning: for example the pentagon is named by form while the U.N. is named by function and purpose. . 

Verse Dt28-22 states   The LORD will smite thee with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with drought, and with blasting, and with Green-Sickness; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.   יַכְּכָה יְהוָה בַּשַּׁחֶפֶת וּבַקַּדַּחַת וּבַדַּלֶּקֶת, וּבַחַרְחֻר וּבַחֶרֶב, וּבַשִּׁדָּפוֹן, וּבַיֵּרָקוֹן; וּרְדָפוּךָ, עַד אָבְדֶךָ.  

Rashi explains the underlined phrase Green-Sickness to refer to Mildew, a plant sickness that affects grain, turning them green. 

Here Rashi uses the word meaning principle of naming by form. . The naming by form principle is common to all languages. Examples are plentiful and catchy: For example, 
•	the orange dress, refers to the color not to the fruit; 
•	brain- storming refers to a form of continuous and plentiful hits of ideas but not to actual raining. 
•	the plane flies refers to an activity with a specific form, flying, but does not refer to the insect creature, the fly. 
•	a flowery speech refers to an elegant and pleasing form but not to actual flowers. 

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt22-01a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt22-01a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with It is well known that Hebrew roots may be conjugated in 7 grammatical modes. Very often the meaning of the root will change based on the grammatical mode used..

The Hebrew root Yud-Resh-Shin, יָרֵשׁ, means 
•	to inherit in the active, Kal mode. An sample verse might be Verse Gn21-10 states   Wherefore she said unto Abraham: 'Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not inherit with my son, even with Isaac.'   וַתֹּאמֶר, לְאַבְרָהָם, גָּרֵשׁ הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת, וְאֶת-בְּנָהּ:  כִּי לֹא יִירַשׁ בֶּן-הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת, עִם-בְּנִי עִם-יִצְחָק.  
•	to make poor in the intensive, Piel mode. A sample verse might be Verse Dt28-42 states   All thy trees and the fruit of thy land shall the locust impoverish.   כָּל-עֵצְךָ, וּפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ, יְיָרֵשׁ, הַצְּלָצַל.  Notice, in this verse how the concepts of make poor and inherit commingle. Indeed, the locusts make the plants poor and so to speak inherit from them. 
•	to conquer in the causative, hifil mode. Some sample verses might be Verse Nu32-39 states   And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and conquered the Amorites that were therein.   וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן-מְנַשֶּׁה, גִּלְעָדָה--וַיִּלְכְּדֻהָ; וַיּוֹרֶשׁ, אֶת-הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר-בָּהּ.  Verse Nu33-52 states   then ye shall conquer all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.   וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ.  Notice, in these verses, how the concepts of inherit and conquer commingle. Indeed, Novax simultaneously conquered Kenath and thereby as it were, so to speak, inherited their land. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Dt26-03a Dt17-09b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt17-09b.htm 

The alignment  method seeks to extract nuances from the minor differences in the alignment  of two almost identical verses. The contrast of the two almost identical verses points either to a) two cases , b) several nuances , or c) an equality of the verses which leads to an understanding in meaning. (We have already reviewed today's alignment example in rule #1 above. For convenience we repeat it.)

Verse Dt26-03 states   And thou shalt come unto the priest of the times, and say unto him: 'I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the land which the LORD swore unto our fathers to give us.'   וּבָאתָ, אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו, הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כִּי-בָאתִי אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לָתֶת לָנוּ.  By itself, the phrase of the times may simply be a casual way of speaking with no particular meaning content. However by examining an other verse which uses this phrase, Rashi determines that this phrase has very specific meaning. 

When parallel phrases are aligned , verse Dt17-09 states   
And thou shall come 
•	unto the priests the Levites,                     and 
•	unto the judge                     of the times; 
and thou shalt inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgement.
 וּבָאת
•	ָ, אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם,
•	 וְאֶל-הַשֹּׁפֵט, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם;
 וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְהִגִּידוּ לְךָ, אֵת דְּבַר הַמִּשְׁפָּט.  
The contrast that the first bulleted clause contains nothing while the second parallel clause contains the extra underlined phrase, of the times, that this phrase was deliberately placed with intended emphasis. The Bible however is silent on what emphasis is achieved by this underlined phrase. 

It is reasonable to interpret the emphasis of the phrase of the times, to mean even of current times even if they are not like those of former times. In other words the Bible is emphasizing that judicial judgement and decision must always be sought from the judge of the times even if the current judge is inferior to the judges of previous ages. Rashi then transfers the meaning of of the times in Dt17-09 to Dt26-03 to indicate that confession and thanksgiving must always be administered to the current priest, even if current priests are of inferior quality to previous generations. 

Let us recap the logic used: 
•	The Bible used the phrase of the times. By itself this phrase may simply be conversational and not have any special specific focused meaning. 
•	However the alignment in Dt17-09 shows that the phrase was deliberately placed and indicates an intended emphasis. 
•	While the alignment proves that this phrase indicates emphasis it does not specify what the emphasis is. 
•	It seems reasonable to suppose that the phrase means: go to the current judge for decisions even if the current judges of the times are inferior to judges in previous generations. 
•	Having established the meaning of the phrase of the times in Dt17-09 Rashi feels justified using the other verse technique to apply this newly learned meaning to other verses. 
•	Hence the Rashi comment on Dt26-03 that one must make confession or thanksgiving to the current priest even if that priest is inferior to the priests of former generations. 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt28-30a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ dt28-30a .htm

 The contradiction  method seeks to derive Biblical content by assuming a resolution to contradictory  verses. Rashi had 3 main methods to resolve contradiction : The two contradictory verses could be speaking about a) two stages  of one process, b) two aspects  or attributes of one entity, or c) the contradictory verses could be resolved assuming a broad or literal interpretation  of the words causing the contradiction.

An alignment of parallel clauses in verse Dt28-30 which states   
•	Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her; 
•	thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein; 
•	thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not desecrate it.   
•	אִשָּׁה תְאָרֵשׂ, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר ישגלנה (יִשְׁכָּבֶנָּה 
•	--בַּיִת תִּבְנֶה, וְלֹא-תֵשֵׁב בּוֹ;
•	 כֶּרֶם תִּטַּע, וְלֹא תְחַלְּלֶנּוּ.  
suggests that we should expect, in the third final bullet, you will plant a vineyard but not eat from it The actual word used by the Biblical text, desecrate contradicts the expected meaning of eat. 

Rashi resolves this contradiction by carefully examining verse Lv19-23:25 which states   
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as forbidden; 
•	three years shall it be as forbidden unto you; it shall not be eaten. 
•	And in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto the LORD. 
•	But in the fifth year may ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you more richly the increase thereof: 
I am the LORD your God.   
וְכִי-תָבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל-עֵץ מַאֲכָל--וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ, אֶת-פִּרְיוֹ;
 שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים--לֹא יֵאָכֵל. 
 וּבַשָּׁנָה, הָרְבִיעִת, יִהְיֶה, כָּל-פִּרְיוֹ--קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים, לַיהוָה.
  וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁת, תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת-פִּרְיוֹ, לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם, תְּבוּאָתוֹ:  אֲנִי, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. 

The contrasts show that 
•	During the 3rd year, fruit is forbidden 
•	During the 4th year, fruit is holy (In practice, the fruit was taken to Jerusalem to be eaten in holiness there. Alternate but similar procedures were done by those living far away from Jerusalem for whom transport of the fruit would be an impractical burden.) 
•	During the 5th year, fruit is permitted to eat 

The contrast of the 4th vs. the 5th year, suggests coining a new meaning to desecrate: If fruit is holy in the 4th year, then in the 5th year, when it can be eaten, we may call it the opposite of holy, or desecrated. That is, to desecrate the vineyard is to be allowed to use it for personal non-holy matters. In fact a grammatical analysis of the root of desecrate חלל shows that it can simply mean ordinary, חול For example, the first 6 days of the week are called, ordinary, חול while the 7th day is called holy, קדש 

We can now resolve the contradiction at Dt28-30 by interpreting חלל broadly: Verse Dt28-30 states   
•	Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her; 
•	thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein; 
•	thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not (desecrate) ordinarily use it.   
•	אִשָּׁה תְאָרֵשׂ, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר ישגלנה (יִשְׁכָּבֶנָּה)--
•	בַּיִת תִּבְנֶה, וְלֹא-תֵשֵׁב בּוֹ;
•	 כֶּרֶם תִּטַּע, וְלֹא תְחַלְּלֶנּוּ.  

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Dt26-03b Dt26-05c Dt26-10a
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt26-03b.htm
  
Modern formatting  has a variety of vehicles which the writer uses to either create emphasis  or point to an underlying unity . Three common examples of modern formatting are (a) bold-italic-underline , (b) paragraph indentation including use of line spaces, (c) use of bulleted lists . 

Authors use these formatting  devices as follows: (a) All authors know that bold-italic-underline indicates emphasis . The Bible did not use bold-italic-underline but instead uses repetition  to indicate emphasis . (b) Modern authors use indentation  and line spaces between paragraphs to point to an underlying unity  in a paragraph. The Bible indicates paragraph unity  by using the theme-detail-theme , detail-theme , or theme-detail  styles. (c) Modern authors use bulleted lists  to indicate contrastive emphasis --the bullets  together are seen as spanning a domain of ideas while each individual bullet  is seen as indicating a separate and distinct idea. The bible indicates bulleted lists  by either using repeated keywords or parallel structure . 

The reader will recognize the theme-detail-theme , detail-theme  and theme-detail  methods as three of the 13 exegetical methods of Rabbi Ishmael. What we have added is the explanation that the Rabbi Ishmael rules focus on biblical examples : Are these biblical examples understood as exhaustive of the whole law or are they understood as examples to be generalized? Similarly the reader will recognize that we have called the bullet  method is the Rabbi Ishmael rule of context . What we have added to the Rabbi Ishmael exposition is the idea that parallel structure  and repeated keywords are two methods of making inferences from context 

The following Biblical paragraph has a distinct paragraph structure as shown: Verse Dt26-03:10 states   
And thou shalt come unto the priest that shall be in those days, and 
(A)    say unto him: 
(A1) 'I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the land which the LORD swore unto our fathers to give us.' 
(A2) And the priest shall take the basket out of thy hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. 

(B) And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God: 
(B1a) 'An Aramean continuously tried to destroy my father, and 
(B1b) he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. And we cried unto the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression. And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders. And He hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which Thou, O LORD, hast given me.' 
(B2) And thou shalt set it down before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God.   
וּבָאתָ, אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם;
 וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו,                                                                                                    (A)
 הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כִּי-בָאתִי אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לָתֶת לָנוּ.      (A1)
 וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא, מִיָּדֶךָ; וְהִנִּיחוֹ--לִפְנֵי, מִזְבַּח יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ.                                       (A2)
  וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ,                                                                           (B)
 אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי,                                                                                                (B1a)
 וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה, וַיָּגָר שָׁם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט; וַיְהִי-שָׁם, לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל עָצוּם וָרָב.  וַיָּרֵעוּ אֹתָנוּ הַמִּצְרִים, וַיְעַנּוּנוּ; וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלֵינוּ, עֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה.  וַנִּצְעַק, אֶל-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי (B1b)אֲבֹתֵינוּ; וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה אֶת-קֹלֵנוּ, וַיַּרְא אֶת-עָנְיֵנוּ וְאֶת-עֲמָלֵנוּ וְאֶת-לַחֲצֵנוּ.  וַיּוֹצִאֵנוּ יְהוָה, מִמִּצְרַיִם, בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וּבְמֹרָא גָּדֹל--וּבְאֹתוֹת, וּבְמֹפְתִים.  וַיְבִאֵנוּ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה; וַיִּתֶּן-לָנוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.  וְעַתָּה, הִנֵּה הֵבֵאתִי אֶת-רֵאשִׁית פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר-נָתַתָּה לִּי, יְהוָה; וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ.                                          (B2)

Reviewing the format we infer three Rashi comments: 
•	The repeated units: say---set (A-A2, B-B2)suggests that setting the fruit down before the priest was an intrinsic part of the ritual which involved twice saying praise and placing down.
•	The bulleted structure clearly shows that we thank God for delivering us from both (B1a) the attempt by Laban to destroy Jacob (B1b) the attempt by the Egyptians to destroy us. 
•	The bulleted structure clearly shows that we make two distinct statements/confessions: (B1) We thank God for delivering us from Egypt /Laban and (A1) we thank God for bringing us to Israel and giving us our own food. 
Note the use of formatting: It is as if the formatting itself speaks to us and tells us these Rashi comments. Such a perspective---that the formatted text creates its own commentary--- is the proper perspective since it makes the Rashi flow.

9. RASHI METHOD : SPREADSHEETS
This example applies to Rashis  Dt26-02d 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ dt26-02d .htm 

 The spreadsheet  method seeks to explain complicated biblical inferences using geometry, algebra and spreadsheets .  We use the term spreadsheet loosely to denote anything specific (not tone) and complicated. The Rashi need not use algebra and geometry. Rashi might simply illustrate a complicated example.

Verse Dt26-02 states   that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring in from thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee; and thou shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there.   וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל-פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ--וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא; וְהָלַכְתָּ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם.  

But suppose you go down to your garden and see trees with plenty of fruit: How do you know which fruit was first? 

Rashi gives us the "computational" method for knowing the first fruit: A person continuously reviews his garden; when a tree gives its first fruit the owner ties a band around the fruit so he knows that fruit is first. 

It is important to emphasize the sole focus of this Rashi comment is not to explain the verse words, grammar or style but rather to present operational detail on the practical implementation of the Biblical directive. 

Conclusion

This week's parshah contains no examples of the Style, Database, Symbolism method. This concludes this weeks edition. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ for further details and examples.